The wait is finally over, and it was worth every second! After weeks on the injury list following his blockbuster January move from Orlando Pirates, Monnapule Saleng (often called “Silent” by fans for his quiet but deadly demeanor) made his highly anticipated Mamelodi Sundowns debut today.
In a moment that felt like scripted cinema, Saleng stepped onto the Loftus turf as a second-half substitute and provided a goal-winning assist on just his second touch of the game! His pinpoint delivery for Iqraam Rayners’ 81st-minute goal broke the 1–1 deadlock and proved exactly why the Brazilians fought so hard to bring the 2022/23 Player of the Season to Chloorkop.
Mamelodi Sundowns Player Ratings
The Brazilians showed championship grit to overcome a stubborn “Babina Noko” side. Here is how the squad performed in the 3–1 victory:
Starting XI
| Player | Rating | Comments |
| Ronwen Williams | 7.0 | Reliable as always. Made a massive first-half save against Mogaila. |
| Khuliso Mudau | 7.5 | A tireless engine on the right. Nearly assisted Allende early on. |
| Grant Kekana | 7.0 | Solid at the back, though briefly caught out for the Grobler goal. |
| Zuko Ndamane | 6.5 | Growing in confidence. Stood his ground against a physical Grobler. |
| Aubrey Modiba | 7.0 | Provided great width and tactical balance on the left. |
| Teboho Mokoena | 7.5 | Controlled the tempo until his substitution. Hit the woodwork twice. |
| Jayden Adams | 8.5 | MOTM. Pure dominance. He ran the midfield with elite composure. |
| Marcelo Allende | 8.0 | Scored an absolute rocket in the 31st minute. World-class finish. |
| Arthur Sales | 7.5 | Hardworking. His one-two with Allende for the opener was beautiful. |
| Tashreeq Matthews | 6.5 | Showed flashes of brilliance but struggled to find the final ball today. |
| Brayan Leon | 6.0 | A quiet afternoon for the Colombian; struggled to get service in the box. |
The Game-Changers (Subs)
| Player | Rating | Comments |
| Monnapule Saleng | 9.0 | DEBUT MASTERCLASS. One assist on his 2nd touch. Pure impact. |
| Iqraam Rayners | 9.0 | THE FINISHER. Two goals from the bench. Clinical and cold. |
| Nuno Santos | 7.0 | Added much-needed flair and kept the Sekhukhune defense guessing. |
| Lebo Mothiba | 6.5 | Held the ball up well to allow the wingers to push forward late on. |
| Arthur Zwane | 6.5 | Solid cameo. Helped stabilize the midfield after the equalizer. |
